LOS ANGELES, CA – A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy has admitted to violating a transgender man’s civil rights after assaulting him in retaliation for a rude hand gesture, according to federal prosecutors. The incident occurred on Feb. 10, 2023, and the ex-deputy, Joseph Benza III, has agreed to plead guilty to one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law, a charge carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
The victim, identified as E.B., had extended his middle finger at Benza as the deputy was en route to respond to a domestic violence call. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Benza, 36, abandoned the call and pursued E.B.’s vehicle for nearly two miles, intending to retaliate against the perceived slight.
After E.B. pulled into a parking lot and called 911 to report that he was being followed, Benza activated his vehicle’s overhead lights and exited his patrol car. Without issuing any commands, he grabbed E.B., who resisted and told the deputy, “Don’t touch me.” Benza then forcibly body-slammed E.B. to the ground, punched him multiple times in the head and face, and pressed his face into the pavement.
E.B., who was 23 at the time and weighed about half as much as Benza, suffered a concussion, abrasions, and contusions from the assault. Benza later attempted to justify his actions by falsifying an incident report. The report falsely claimed that E.B. had been stopped for having an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror and that E.B. had bitten Benza with enough force to puncture the skin. Additionally, Benza charged E.B. with criminal mayhem.
Prosecutors revealed that Benza sought advice from colleagues on whether to include the middle-finger gesture in his report. Three supervising sergeants allegedly counseled him to omit the detail, with one even drafting sections of the report. Benza also lied to federal investigators and conspired with other deputies to delete incriminating text messages about the incident.
“This senseless assault and subsequent attempted cover-up are an affront to our system of justice,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “Civil rights violations of this nature corrode public trust in law enforcement and undermine the integrity of officers who serve honorably.”
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna condemned the actions, stating that they violated the department’s core principles. “It is deeply troubling that a member of our department, who has since been relieved of duty, abused their authority in such a manner,” Luna said. “These actions undermine the trust of our community and the safety of those we are sworn to protect.”
Benza is expected to appear in court in the coming days to formalize his guilty plea. The plea agreement underscores the federal government’s commitment to addressing abuses of power by law enforcement officers.
The case highlights growing scrutiny of law enforcement conduct and the importance of accountability mechanisms to ensure public trust. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether any other officers involved in the incident may face disciplinary or legal actions.
